Depending on who you are talking to, the concept of NAHBS can be a bit difficult to explain. As bike people, most of us get it, but to the average Joe the idea of a multi thousand dollar bike that to the uninitiated looks similar to the old road bike hanging in their garage can be a head scratcher. However, after seeing the work of DiNucci Cycles I’m not sure there is anything that more perfectly summarizes the NAHBS show. When you are talking about hand built bikes there are few examples that can match the perfect lugs crafted with clinical precision thanks to countless hours with a torch and a number of hand tools. I’d wager that even non bike people would look at this frame and think, wow….
Owing to his 40 years of experience designing and building bikes for himself, customers, and other companies, Mark DiNucci builds some incredible bikes. Among many other awards, Mark took home the Best of Show at NAHBS 2011.
In 2015 that honor went to Groovy Cycleworks, but DiNucci took home the award for Best Lugs. The frames above illustrate that point. Just look at them!
Even when finished, the lug work is still impressive.
While we’re on the topic of lugs, Cherubim was back with some less wild options this year. Compared to some of the imaginative builds of previous years, the Cherubim Triple Crown Keirin, R-2 frames stick to traditional silhouettes but still have that Cherubim magic.
As the longest running Cherubim model, the R-2 is a lugged chromoly frame modeled after the horizontal top tubed road frames of the past.
Getting a bit more fancy, this lugged Triple Crown track racer was built with a selection of vintage track components that had everyone staring.
